1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wheel house structure for a vehicle, the wheel house structure having a box-shaped space.
2. Description of Related Art
The rigidity of the body mounting part of a vehicle suspension affects the noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) of a vehicle, and the running and handling performance of the vehicle.
As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a conventional wheel house 10 for a vehicle is provided with various brackets 20 to attach assembly parts to the wheel house 10. A mounting bracket 11 to which a rear shock absorber is mounted is welded to the lower surface of the wheel house 10. After a rear side member 40 is coupled to a rear floor 30, the wheel house 10 is coupled to the assembly of the rear side member 40 with the rear floor 30. Further, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the wheel house 10 may be also provided with a reinforcing member 20′ to increase strength when the wheel house 10 is mounted to the suspension.
In the conventional wheel house, however, as the forming depth of the wheel house is increased during the forming of a product, the wheel house may be broken or develop creases, so that formability may deteriorate. Further, the durability of the product may be reduced because of vibrations between the wheel house 10 and the rear floor suspension, and a NVH level may become elevated because of the lack of strength of the wheel house. Furthermore, in order to mount an assembly part to the wheel house, an additional mounting bracket having an assembly hole must be mounted to the wheel house, thus inconveniencing a manufacturer.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.